Thin & Crispy

Thin & Crispy

Like tennis, every mice reacts differently depending on the surface on which it is used on. Gamers worth their salt know this, and that is why they always bring along their personal gaming pad to ensure consistency in their mouse-tracking. The problem, however, is that some of these mousepads can be bulky and cumbersome to transport. Fortunately, a quick fix exists - the Razer Sphex gaming grade desktop skin.

Paper-thin

Like all Razer products, the Sphex comes in black and has the Razer and Sphex logos emblazoned on it. The Razer Sphex desktop skin is, as its name suggests, paper-thin, weighing only mere grams. And it's this quality that makes it so portable. It can be easily rolled up and tucked away into one's bag.

The Razer Sphex comes in only one size, which is a tad larger than an A4-sized sheet. It was large enough for us, and we reckon it should be adequate for most gamers.

The paper-thin form factor makes it easy to integrate into one's gaming space. Taking that skin analogy further, it almost becomes one with your desk, as a thin layer on top of the desk surface. Which means you don't need to rearrange your desk to make space to accommodate the Sphex.

The Real Deal

At first glance, it's easy to dismiss the Razer Sphex as being the diluted version of Razer's other full-sized gaming mats like the Goliathus, but it's not. The Razer Sphex has a surface that is highly textured and feels somewhat crispy to touch. This makes it somewhat similar to the "Control" version of the Goliathus mouse mat.

The surface offers great consistency in tracking, and it felt quick and fluid. Swapping the Sphex for the Goliathus and back again, we felt no discernible difference in tracking consistency. So it really is the real deal.

On the flip side of the Razer Sphex, it has a multi-use adhesive bottom that allows it to stick to any surface. This unique adhesive sticks onto surfaces with an iron-like grip, giving the Sphex excellent stability. Better yet, it can be easily removed and reused as often as you like, requiring no more than a rinse to restore its adhesiveness.

Final Thoughts

It seems that Razer has delivered yet another solid product for gaming aficionados. In our testing, we found the Sphex to be comparable to other "full-size" gaming mats, for a fraction of the size. You'll also be happy to know that the Sphex retails at a very reasonable S$22.90. Offering great tracking consistency and fluidity, the Sphex desktop will appeal to gamers who attend LAN competitions and parties frequently, or for anyone who is looking to enhance their desktop setup.